Morris County’s 2024 Open Space Recommendations
Published on November 07, 2024
Grants Submitted for Sites in Denville, Madison Borough and Mendham Township
Morris County’s Open Space Trust Fund Committee recommended that the Board of County Commissioners approve $1.8 million to acquire and preserve a total of 65.2 acres in 2024 Open Space projects during the board’s public work session last night in Morristown.
The recommendations for preservation cover properties in Denville, Mendham Township and Madison Borough, and range in size from 3.5 to 51 acres.
"Supporting programs like this is a vital part of our role as the Morris County Board of Commissioners. With strong public backing, each year we carefully review how to best utilize our open space funding, whether it’s preserving natural areas, restoring historic sites or expanding our trail systems to ensure Morris County remains a place where people love to live, work, and play,” said Commissioner Deputy Director Stephen Shaw, the Board’s liaison to the Morris County Office of Planning and Preservation.
“Since 1994, we’ve preserved more than 18,300 acres of open space, which is an area larger than the Township of Parsippany, reflecting our commitment to protecting and enhancing the quality of life for all residents," Shaw continued.
The Commissioners will make a formal decision later this year on whether to accept the recommendations.
“Each year, we carefully review applications and visit the properties to decide whether to recommend a trust fund grant to the Commissioner Board,” said Jay Thomson, chair of the 15-member Morris County Open Space Trust Fund Committee who presented the recommendations to the Commissioners.
Funding for the program comes from the voter-approved Morris County Open Space and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund, which is generated by a special county tax. The funding source is also used for farmland preservation, county parkland acquisition, historic preservation, trail construction and the purchase of residential properties prone to flooding.
The 2024 Open Space Recommendations
Jonathan’s Woods Extension on the Whitney Property, located in Denville Township which encompasses 3.5 acres and is being proposed for a $265,000 grant award. The applicant is Protect our Wetlands, Waters, Woods and the property is contiguous to the 430 plus acre Jonathan’s Woods, which was acquired in 2000 through a combination of municipal, state, and county trust fund dollars. Over the past 20 years, the Morris County Park Commission also acquired several smaller parcels off Hillcrest Drive. The Whitney Property, situated at the end of Hillcrest Drive, represents one of the largest remaining tracts of land to be acquired for the Jonathan’s Woods conservation area.
The Schiff Preserve Addition, known as Civille, located in Mendham Township, spans 11 acres and is proposed for a $447,234 grant award. The applicant is the Raritan Headwaters Association. Positioned at the Somerset County border, the Schiff Preserve Addition features the North Branch of the Raritan River along its eastern boundary, with a conservation easement in place to protect the Category One waters and steep slopes. Once acquired, the property will be transferred to the Schiff Natural Lands Trust, expanding their existing Nature Preserve. The land will be managed for conservation and passive recreational purposes.
The Drew Forest Project, located in and applied for by Madison Borough, covers 51 acres and is recommended for a $1,087,766 grant award. This forest plays a critical role as an aquifer recharge area for the Buried Valley Aquifer, which supplies water to 31 towns across three counties. The forest also includes steep slope areas and serves as a habitat for the endangered Indiana Bat. In addition, Drew University students use the Zuck Arboretum and Hepburn Woods within the forest as outdoor ecological classrooms. In 2023, the project received a $5 million grant from Morris County, marking the first dedicated funding for its preservation.
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Photo: Drew Forest, which covers 51 acres, in Madison Borough.